In general, oscillating tools are light-weight, handheld power tools capable of being equipped with a variety of tool accessories and attachments, such as cutting blades, sanding discs, grinding tools, and many others. These types of tools, referred to hereinafter as power tools, typically include a generally cylindrically-shaped main body that serves as an enclosure for an electric motor as well as a hand grip for the tool. The electric motor is operably coupled to a drive member, referred to herein as a tool mount, that extends from a portion of the main body of the power tool. The electric motor is configured to rotate and/or oscillate the tool mount at relatively high frequencies.
The tool mount in turn is configured to secure different attachments so that as the tool mount is driven to move by the electric motor, an accessory tool secured to the mount is driven to perform work on a workpiece. Attachments usable with an oscillating tool include saw blades, sanders, raspers, grinders, scrapers, cutters, and polishers. Attachments can generally be mounted in a variety of orientations, which enables precision working in otherwise hard to reach areas.
Straight blades including cutting teeth on an end side have been used as saw blade attachments for making plunge cuts, whereby the straight blade descends into a material being cut rather than moving transversely along a straight cut. Typically, oscillating blades used for straight cuts tend to flex during cutting, which can distort an otherwise straight cut, damage the blade, or damage the material being cut. Straight blades have been proposed that have an increased blade thickness to decrease flexing and improve straight cut performance. However, increasing blade thickness increases a mass of the oscillating tool and a vibration caused by the oscillating tool when in use, and can have other detrimental effects. What is needed, therefore, is a straight blade for an oscillating tool optimized for straight cuts.